The Troubles Of Being Divergent
by blueturtlepower4ever
Summary: No war story. The Splinter quadruplets have turned 16, and are about to choose their factions. For Mikey, Donnie, and Raph, the choice is obvious. For Leo, it's anything but. Leo is Divergent, with aptitude for Erudite, Abnegation, and Dauntless. And choosing is only the beginning of his struggles. Please read and review, and if you have a better title idea, please tell me.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Divergent and TMNT fans! I have the honor of being the first one to write for this crossover. So yay for that!**

**Okay, in this story, there was no attack on Abnegation and this is about 2 years after Tris joined Dauntless, so she's 18 and Tobias is 20. The guys are, of course, 16. I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 1

I let my three brothers go before me, then follow them onto the bus. It's overcrowded and smelly, but it's the fastest way to school. The times when we miss it and have to walk are never good, picking around debris, potholes that are larger than the road, and avoiding the factionless. I know they are no threat, but I hate having to decline their pleas for food.

We push our way through the crowd. There are no seats left, but two Abnegation sitting side by side stand up, offering their seats. My brothers look at me, but I shake my head. I never feel right about taking seats from the Abnegation. They deserve them as much as we do, and they were there first. We bundle together and grab the bar hanging from the ceiling, and the Abnegation sit back down, looking shocked.

Ordinarily, I would be happy to be going to school, and would be chatting with my brothers about whatever. But today, we are all silent as the bus sputters down the road, swerving to avoid obstacles and screeching to a halt to collect more passengers. Today isn't an ordinary day for my brothers and me, or for any other 16-year-olds. Today is the day we will all take our aptitude tests, which will tell me where I belong. Where I fit in.

I have tried to predict what the tests will say for my brothers and I. For my brothers, it's easy.

Donatello, or Donnie, has always thrown himself into his schoolwork, searching for answers and reading anything he can get his hands on. When he thinks he's alone, he often sketches ideas for inventions in a notebook he pretends is for school. My second youngest brother is Erudite, through and through. He's incredibly smart, incredibly curious, and always ready to teach. I have no doubt his test will say what I already know.

Michelangelo, or Mikey, is slightly harder to figure out. He's the goofball of our quartet, always bouncing around with the sunniest of grins on his face. He's the happy one, who can cheer us up. While he teases us mercilessly, he's also one of the first to break up fights, getting the rivals to talk it out instead. All of that points to Amity, the peaceful, happy faction. I can see Mikey wearing orange shorts and blue jeans, riding a dirt path in a horse pulled wagon, sunlight shining on his blond curls as he laughs along with faceless others. Amity will fit him well.

My brother Raphael, or Raph, is (in a word) a hothead. Always ready to fight. He's also a protector, not thinking twice about jumping into the fray to defend someone. He's also the dare devil, always pushing his limits and climbing to new, more dangerous heights. His whole personality screams Dauntless, and when he chooses it at the Ceremony, I'll smile and say I knew it in my head.

That just leaves me. The oldest of my brothers, the unsaid leader. I look out for them. That's about it. I don't know where I fit in. I'm not smart like Donnie, not carefree like Mikey, not reckless with my life like Raph. I'm not honest like my father, Joshua Splinter of Candor. I try to be, but there are things I could never be truthful about, and I will lie if I have to. I'm not completely selfless like the Abnegation. I try to be, to push all my needs aside for my brothers and father, but there are things I simply couldn't give up. I like being able to play games and talk idly, to skateboard and read my own books. I don't know much about the Abnegation, but I know that they give pretty much everything and are always continuing to sacrifice their own comfort for others. While I want to say I can do that, I don't know if I can.

For the final time, the bus screeches to a stop. My brothers, the other school kids, and I push our way off the bus. I practically leap off the bus and breath in fresher air. The bus pulls away behind me, and my brothers and I hesitate at the threshold of our school. This is it. One of the biggest moments of our lives to this point. The moment that will set us down the path to deciding our new lives.

"Well, " I sigh. "Let's go." I take the first step inside. Raph follows, then Donnie, then Mikey zooms past us all to the front of our posse. "Let's go!" He cheers.

**One chapter down, who knows how many more to go. Please review, tell me what you like, what you don't, if I should continue, how much you love a certain character, what/who you'd like to see, etc. **

**Have an amazing summer! **

**-Katana**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! Thank you to the two people who have reviewed my story. Thank you so much. Here's a longer chapter to make up for the shorter previous one. Enjoy!**

Chapter 2

Classes are cut in half today, so they can cram aptitude testing in the stretch of time in between lunch and dismissal. No one wants to have a longer school day than we already do, so the arrangement works.

I try to pay attention, but my mind, along with everyone else's, is on the aptitude test and what it will say about me. The officials, the teachers, and our parents all say the results don't effect our choices. They lie. Why would you choose anything but what you get? Why would you choose a faction you don't belong in? There is almost no need for a Choosing Ceremony with the aptitude tests. So this is it. My sorting. The path to my life is about to be laid out before me.

The teachers try to teach like it's any other day, but their efforts are half-hearted. Maybe they sense no one is focused enough to actually answer or pay them any mind. Or maybe they too are just counting the hours until we leave their rooms and almost certainly never come back. The Choosing Ceremony is tomorrow, no school days in between, and our future factions are in charge of education past sixteen. The only reason to come back is if you're an Erudite working as a teacher. Or factionless working as a janitor.

My last class of the day is Faction History, which is the only class I have with all my brothers. Usually, I take notes on the lectures our teacher is prone to. Today, I study the walls. Several posters depicting various events in our city's history decorate them, along with maps and other informative posters. Among them are copys of the original faction manifestos. Before, I paid them no attention, but today I read them several times over, searching for anything that sounds like me. I find bits and pieces spread across several of them, but none of them screams "This is where you belong, Leo!"

That said, there is one line from the Dauntless manifesto that really catches my eye. I read it over and over again, drinking in the words and the meaning behind them.

_We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another._

It's an amazing idea, one that I believe in and could put my faith and life behind. Is Dauntless where I belong? Or does my fate lie somewhere else? The manifestos, while interesting, have not answered my question.

The final bell rings, and I meet my brothers at the door. We're quiet as we walk to the cafeteria, even Mikey, the weight of what's about to happen pressing down on us.

We sit down at an empty table. Once everyone is in, they start calling names. Eight Abnegation, a Dauntless, and an Amity wait in the testing rooms for us. The rule is that you can not be tested by anyone in your own faction, so they get two representatives from factions beside Abnegation for the Abnegation kids, and the rest are taken by Abnegation volunteers.

Two teens from each faction are called, in reverse alphabetical order. I watch the doors, and time the first group. It takes them 15 minutes to complete the test.

Donnie must be thinking along the same lines, because he pipes up. "It'll take about 4 hours to get through everyone at this rate, maybe less."

I nod, unable to speak past the words in my throat.

"Want to play cards, guys? I brought a deck." Mikey pulls out a pack, and I smile.

"Sure Mikey."

Raph shrugs, but leans forward.

Donnie nods, then blows a lock of his long light brown hair out his reddish brown eyes.

"All right, then." Mikey smiles, his sky blue eyes sparkling, and starts dealing out the deck. "Let's play some Liar."

* * *

About an hour later, the woman calling names steps out again. "Raphael Splinter, Michelangelo Splinter . . . " she calls more after that, but I pay them no mind. Mikey's suddenly gone pale beside me, and although Raph's expression remains unconcerned, I can see sweat blossom on his forehead.

I smile at my baby brother and give him a one armed hug. "It'll be okay Mikey."

"Yeah." He tries to smile. "I know."

"Come on Mike." Raph stands up, crossing his arms. "Let's get this over with."

Mikey glances up at me one more time and I smile. He looks at Donnie and Don nods. Mikey stands up and walks with Raph, who throws an arm around his shoulders. The woman directs them down the hall towards their testing rooms.

The next fifteen minutes are some of the most nerve-wracking of my life. Finally, Raph walks out, pale and coated with sweat. He catches my eye, and gives me a weak smile and a thumbs up. He crosses the room and plops down beside Don.

"What happened?" I ask.

Raph shakes his head. "You'll find out soon enough."

Mikey exits a couple minutes later, sweat glistening in his curls and a shocked look frozen on his face. He sees me staring and runs the last few feet, flying into my outstretched arms.

"Ugh." He murmurs.

"Are you alright, Mikey?" I asked, my own worry for my testing growing.

Mikey sniffles. "Yeah, just - just I don't want to do that ever again."

I hug him tighter. "It's okay. You never have to set foot in there ever again Mikey." He nods against my chest.

The woman returns with her clipboard. She crosses out some, then raises her voice. "Leonardo Splinter, Donatello Splinter . . ." Again, more names are called, but I fail to hear them over the rush of blood pounding in my ears. I let Mikey go and urge him to sit with Raph. Donnie's already up and surrenders his seat to Mikey. Mikey clings on to Raph, and I stand up. I move to Don's side and we share smiles.

We approach the woman with the clipboard. She gives us a sympathetic smile and directs Donnie to room 10. She gives me room 5. We nod in synchronization, and walk down the hall that contains testing rooms and testing rooms only. The way the rooms are numbered, which is a rather strange way honestly, rooms 5 and 10 are facing each other. My brother and I walk to the end of the hall, each grab a doorknob, then look over our shoulders.

"Good luck." I say.

"Good luck." Donnie nods, then slips into his room.

_I'm gonna need it._ I think in my head, then step into my own testing room.

Testing rooms are only used for testing, nothing else, so I have never been in here before. The walls are made of mirrors, so everywhere I can see my reflection. The only thing in the room is a chair with wires coming out of one of the armrests. A woman stands beside it, dressed in Abnegation gray.

"Hello, dear." She greets me, smiling warmly.

"Hello ma'am." I nod.

Her smile turns amused. "A polite Candor. How strange. I thought you had a saying that politeness is deception in pretty packaging."

I shrug. "Just - trying to be respectful." She smiles even more.

"Come sit down." Like I have a choice. I sit down in the dentist-like chair, and the woman starts pulling out wires. I stare straight ahead at the reflection in front of me. I wear black pants today, with a black and white stripped polo. The outfit matches perfectly with my pale skin and black hair, and makes my large royal blue eyes stand out even more. I look like the model picture of a Candor. Will my test tell me that Candor is my home?

The woman leans over me, and fastens the wires to my head with electrodes. As she leans, I spot a name tag. Her name is Natalie Prior. She finishes her work, and backs away. I'm feeling more than a little nervous, and a bit stupid with all this hanging off my forehead. Natalie hands me a vial of clear liquid.

"Here. Drink all of it." I look at the concoction nervously. "Don't worry, dear. It'll be over soon."

I close my eyes, and swallow the drink in one sip.

* * *

When I open my eyes again, I'm back in the cafeteria. It's empty now. To my left, there are two objects lying on the table. A hunk of cheese, and a knife nearly as long as my arm.

"Choose." A voice booms.

I jump. "What?"

"Choose." It repeats.

I frown. "Why? What do I need one for?"

"Choose. Now."

"What am I about to do?"

"Choose." The voice demands a fourth time. I frown even more. _This is a simulation._ I tell myself._ They will judge how I act to determine where I belong, so I should act like I would in real life. In real life, I would never make a choice without knowing all the facts._

"I'm not choosing until you tell me what I need to do with what I pick." I cross my arms stubbornly.

"Fine. Have it your way." The voice says, and both the knife and the cheese disappear.

A door slams open and shut behind me, and I whirl around. Shell. Now I know why one of the items would have come in handy. A large brown dog, a pit bull by the look of it, stands in a defensive position. Its mouth is curled into a snarl, exposing its very, very, very sharp canines. A growl hums deep in its throat, and I slowly back away, my hands in the universal peace gesture. The dog takes a step forward and barks. I stop. It doesn't like me moving. What the Heck do I do?

Think, think, think. Dogs. What sets them off?

They can smell fear and other emotions. I need to keep calm to avoid agitating the animal even further. I take a silent deep breath and clear my mind. I let go of all emotions. This is a simulation, I say in my head. It's not real, it's not real, it's not real. Nothing to be afraid of. The dog seems to be unsure of what to do. I take a step away, and it charges at me, seeing that as a threat. I bolt the other way, but I can't outrun it. I smack up against a wall, and the dog stops in its tracks, standing where I was. He growls again.

Think. A page of my psychology textbook flashes before me. Looking someone, or something, in the eyes is a sign of aggression. So how do I show a sign of submission?

Slowly, I lower myself to the floor. The dog growls, but I keep my eyes on the ground and kneel on my feet. I lay my hand out in front of me and keep my head down, letting my hair fall into my eyes.

I hear the patter of paws and nails, but I force myself to stay calm and shut my eyes. Suddenly, I feel something heavy on my lap. I open my eyes, and am shocked to find the dogs head resting in my lap. It looks up at me, and where before only wild hatred was, a kind and gentle spark shines. The dog raises its head and proceeds to lick my face. In spite of myself, I giggle and gently push the dogs head away.

"Ew." I laugh, then scratch the dog behind the ears. "Aw, you're a good dog, aren't you?"

"Puppy!" A high, childish voice says from my five o'clock. I look over my shoulder to see a little girl dressed in Amity colors racing towards the dog and me. The dog immediately growls, becoming wild again, and charges towards the girl. The intent of killing is clear in its eyes.

"No!" I scream, throwing myself forward to do something, anything to protect the little girl.

* * *

I find myself instead back in the testing room. Is my test over? I stand up and open the door. Instead of a hallway, I find myself on a bus. I sit down in a seat, and a man appears next to me. He's reading a newspaper. MURDERER CAUGHT! the headline screams. A horrible feeling twists in my gut. Murderer. A horrible, disgusting word. There's a picture of a man on the front, mouth open in a silent scream. I get the feeling I know him from somewhere, but I can't place him.

"Do you know this man?" The man reading the newspaper asks, tapping the cover of the paper.

I want to say yes, but I get a bad feeling in my stomach. Telling the man would be bad, very bad.

"No." I lie.

The mans eyes narrow. "Yes, you do. I can see it in your eyes."

"I don't." I insist.

"You lie! You lie!" He yells in my face.

"I'm not!" I shout.

"If you know him, you could save me! You could save me!" The man screeches.

The feeling that telling him would be bad grows in me. I want to help this man, but I trust my gut. In real life, and in a simulation. With a defiant stomp of my foot, I stare the man down. "But I don't."

* * *

I wake up in the testing chair, and the Abnegation woman, Natalie, is pulling electrodes off of me. My breath is raspy, and my forehead is coated in sweat.

"That was . . . unexpected." Natalie says when she's done. "Wait here."

Unexpected? What the shell is that supposed to mean? Did she just have me pegged as something other than what I am? But why didn't she tell me my results? I fidget in the chair. What am I? I thought testing would make it clear, but I'm more confused then ever. What am I? Am I Amity, Candor, Abnegation, Dauntless, or Erudite? Why didn't she tell me?

Natalie Prior walks back in and shuts the door tight behind her. She looks at my nervous appearance and smiles apologetically at me. "Sorry, dear. I didn't mean to worry you."

"What is my result?" I ask frankly, the one thing Candor has taught me to do.

"Leonardo, your test results were inconclusive."

"Wha-what? Inconclusive? How could they be inconclusive?"

"The simulation determines your faction through process of elimination. In your case, only two have been eliminated."

"On-only two?"

She nods. "Amity was eliminated when you choose to do nothing instead of going for the cheese, which is an Amity response. Candor was eliminated when you refused to tell the truth in the second stage. Leo, your choices were a mixture of responses. Facing the dog was a Dauntless response, but so is choosing the knife, which you did not do. Throwing yourself in front of the girl to save her was an Abnegation response, but so is telling the man when he said it could save him, which you didn't do. Using your knowledge of biology to calm the dog is an Erudite response -"

"So where the Heck do I belong?! Are you telling me you don't know my faction?"

"Yes and no. Leonardo, you show equal aptitude for Erudite, Dauntless, and Abnegation. People who get this result are called -" she hesitates before leaning and whispering "- Divergent."

She sits up and smiles sympathetically at me. "Leo, you can never tell anyone this. Ever. Being what you are is dangerous."

"Dangerous? How? I - I don't understand." I confess, feeling helpless and out of my depth.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you more. You should head home. You have thinking to do about your choice tomorrow."

"My brothers -"

"I'll tell them where you're going. I'll tell them that you got sick."

"Thank you." I nod, feeling hollow and numb.

"Now go on. You have a big choice to make."

I walk to the door, but before I open it, I turn back. "Where do you think I should go? What faction would be the - safest for me?"

"I have children in Dauntless and Erudite. Whatever you pick, you will have allies." She smiles.

"Are they -" She nods once, then shakes once. I roll my eyes at her cryptic response, but instead of trying to puzzle it out, I walk out the door.

**Hey! I hope you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to read this story so for.**

**Please review! I like knowing someone has read this story buried in the crossovers. **

**Have an awesome summer! **

**-Katana **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey! I'm back with a 3rd chapter after freaking out all day about the new episode. How could they do that?! Donnie, make that *spoiler spoiler* before I jump into the TV and pound your face in!**

**Anyway, thank you for the 10 reviews! Enjoy! **

Chapter 3

I slip out of my testing room, then let Natalie Prior go ahead of me. She approaches my brothers, and while she distracts them by telling them some lie about how I'm sick, I slip through the cafeteria and out the door, clutching my stomach if any of them happen to see me. Technically, we aren't supposed to leave the school until testing is over, but no one tries to stop me as I escape into free air.

As soon as I'm out the door, I burst into a run. I won't take the bus, lest I get home too early and raise suspicion. Although I can lie, I don't like doing it. Growing up in Candor has left that impression on me. But apparently I won't have to deal with that much longer.

_No. Stop it. That's a no-fly zone._I scold myself. I'm not up to the task of deciphering what just happened. Instead, I throw myself into my running.

God, I love to run. I love the sound of my feet pounding the ground, the tight feeling in my chest, the wind whipping through my hair and wiping away my sweat. I love the burn I get in my muscles after hours of jogging, and I love stretching my legs in such a way, feeling fast and free and unstoppable.

Today, I run from my thoughts and emotions. All that is in my mind is the rhythm of my steps and the flex of my muscles as I pump my arms back and forth.

It's easy to let go for a few minutes, but even though I go running as much as I can, I can only keep up a dead sprint for so long. I slow down eventually, and while sprinting is good for eluding thoughts, jogging is great for thinking. So as my pace slows, the strangeness of the day creeps back in. I slow down to a walk, and finally let everything flow into my brain. The simulation, the reaction of my tester, my inconclusive test results, what the tester called me. Especially what my tester called me. Divergent. I am Divergent.

What the Heck?! This test was supposed to tell me where I belong, where I fit in. All it did, though, was single me out and muddle my choice even further. I'm Divergent, with aptitude for Erudite, Abnegation, and Dauntless. So . . . what? What does it mean? That I can go to any of them? That I could chose any of the three and fit in? Or that I can never truly belong, because I am not completely one of them?

Either way, it means that my choice isn't clear. I can't rely on my test to tell me where I belong. I have to make that choice myself. Erudite, Abnegation, or Dauntless? What faction will I spend the rest of my life in?

I think about Erudite. Smart, nerdy, problem-solving types. Like Donnie. I shake my head. Not Erudite. I could never pretend to be that excited about learning or inventing or teaching. While I enjoy school, I'm not a total brainiac like my brother. I could never compete or fit in. I'm not smart enough.

Abnegation. The selfless. People who give up everything to help others. It is an admirable belief, one I believe is a good one. But although I put my brothers before myself and do my best not to be selfish, I don't think I could be Abnegation. Abnegation sacrifice all comfort for others, refuse to stand out or ever think of what they might want, and keep to the simplest of lifestyles. They may be selfless ways to live, but surely you can be selfless without giving up all creature comforts. Everyone deserves equal treatment, and should not view themselves lower than others. Their goal is selflessness, but sometimes I think the Abnegation forget they deserve things as much as everyone else, and that they are not slaves for the other four factions. It may be selfish, but I can't bring myself to be so selfless I forget my own needs and sacrifice everything for the sake of selflessness.

Dauntless. The brave. The daredevils who are constantly pushing the limits to get a rush. The people who honor bravery above all else. I honor bravery; I do. I don't, however, believe in risking your life just for the Heck of it. Life is a precious thing, and while you should cherish every moment and try to live to the fullest, risking it over some cheap thrill is foolish. The line from the manifesto comes back to me. _We believe in ordinary acts of bravery, in the courage that drives one person to stand up for another. _I do believe. I believe in ordinary acts of bravery. But, is that truly enough to choose Dauntless? Or does my fate lie with Abnegation? Or Erudite? No. Not Erudite. It could never work. It's down to Abnegation or Dauntless.

I shake my head, and start running again. Before, I felt free and light. Now, I feel weighed down by the heavy choice ahead of me.

* * *

Our home isn't what you would call close to the school. It's not super far, but it's a good distance. Even so, I have to kill time before going home, so I take a few dozen laps around the old playground before pointing myself home. The playground stands as a reminder of simpler times for me. My brothers and I haven't been there all at once in years, so my last memories of it are old. Pushing each other on the swings, taking turns sliding, daring each other to climb higher and higher on the monkey bars. The memories make me smile at our innocence and carefree existence as I run around it, a smile that disappears as I approach our street.

I slow to a walk and wipe the sweat from my brow. I'm still early, by about 10 minutes. I can wait that long. I walk down the street to our house and sit down on the sidewalk. I take a few minutes to stretch the kinks out of my muscles, then sit back and wait for my brothers.

Five minutes later, the puff and chug of a bus can be heard as it climbs the slight hill. It stops at the beginning of the cul-du-sac we live in, and it's doors sweep open. A couple of business men step out, then my brothers. Mikey's eyes immediately flick to our house, and light up when they spot me. He breaks into a run and tackles me to the ground.

"Leo!" He says as he hugs me.

"Mikey! I was only gone for a couple hours! Didn't realize you'd miss me!" I joke.

"It's just - when the lady said you were sick -"

"She meant sick to my stomach. The liquid made me queasy. I nearly threw up, so she sent me home early. Sorry." Not really a lie. The revelation I was Divergent certainly made me feel sick.

"Lucky." Raph grumbles. "The rest of us had to wait for everyone to go."

"Sorry Raph. I should have told you to get sick and nearly throw up on your tester so you could get sent home." I grin. He swats at the back of my head, but I duck.

"Smart mouth." He rolls his eyes.

"I try."

"Come on, you two. Let's get inside." Don, the voice of reason says. I pry Mikey off me and get on my feet, and we all file inside. Our father, Joshua Splinter, is waiting for us.

"Welcome back, my sons. I trust your day went well?"

"It was . . . okay." I answer after a few seconds of silence. Apparently no one else wants to answer.

"And how was your aptitude testing? Did everything go alright?"

"Everything except Fearless Leader getting sick." Raph teases me. I roll my eyes at his nickname for me. He's called me that for years. I can't even remember how he came up with it anymore.

"Sick?" Father raises an eyebrow.

I shrug, acting like it's nothing. "I got nauseous after testing, so she sent me home early. I walked home." Thankfully, I'm not really lying. All the stuff I did and was told made me feel nauseous. If I had been lying, Father would have known, being Candor. As it is, he stares at my face for a few more seconds, searching for something, but lets it go.

"Dinner will be done in an hour." Father says, and we take it as a dismissal, rocketing up the stairs towards our rooms. I open my door, but to my surprise, my brothers follow me in.

"What?" I ask.

They ignore me and sit down on my bed in a circle, leaving a space at the head of the bed for me.

"Seriously, guys? What're you doing in here?"

"C'mon. Don't tell me you of all people don't feel like knowing what we all got." Raph says bluntly. I roll my eyes, but take my place at the head of the bed.

"Fine, but I'll come out right away. I'm not telling. The tests don't count, it's what we choose tomorrow." They all stare at me like I'm crazy. And stare. And stare. And stare some more.

"Plus, we aren't even supposed to share our results." I say defensively.

"No one pays attention to that rule." Raph waves my argument away.

"I do." I set my jaw. I'd love to tell them, to confess my worries. For a moment, an overwhelming urge to do so floods me, but I resist. If my tester is right, and being Divergent is dangerous, telling my brothers could put them at risk. I won't play dice with my brothers lives.

"I'll go." Mikey says in a low, soft voice. "I - I got Amity." He whispers on my left. I wrap an arm around him.

"I knew it. You're too bright and bubbly to stick around here." I tease. He cracks a smile.

"Send me some apples, will you?" Donnie says with a smile. "I'd kill for some fresh fruit." Fresh fruit has been scarce lately. The prices have skyrocketed, so most families, including us, have settled for dried. It's technically the same, but it doesn't taste nearly as good.

"Will do, Don."

"Go enjoy the world of plaid, kid." Raph says with a smirk. I glare at him, but Mikey giggles.

"Guess I'm next." Donnie says on my right. "I got Erudite." He says, looking slightly nervous. We aren't as quick to reassure him. This is our first real reminder that soon, we'll all be going our separate ways.

"Good for you Donnie." I finally break the silence. "You can finally turn all those ideas in that brain of yours into reality."

"Oh, oh, do you think you could build a jetpack? So we could all fly around? Like the birds?" Mikey bounces in place, and Donnie cracks a smile and chuckles.

"It'll be my first big invention. I'll call'em MikeyPacks." Mikey smiles broadly at the idea of everyone having something with his name on it.

"Maybe you can invent plumbing that actually works." Raph suggests. Too many times, Raph's been caught in the shower in a cold spray. Course, we've always blamed it on the plumbing. Yep. Totally the plumbing's fault. Not a mischievous blond. Where'd you get an idea like that?

"Sure thing Raph." Donnie smiles slyly.

"Since Fearless is determined to be a stick in the mud, I guess it's my turn." Raph smirks.

"Go ahead." I shrug off his insult.

"Dauntless." He says nonchalantly.

"Knew it." I smile. "No other faction would accept a hothead like you." I wink to let him know I'm just teasing.

"Can't wait to see you with tattoos and piercings, Raphie." Mikey teases.

Raph swats the back of his head. "Don't call me that, Mike."

"It's Mikey!"

"And it's Raph."

"Guard my lab for me, will you Raph?" Donnie offers.

Raph smiles. "If I'm not too busy with other things." I can tell he doesn't mean it, though. He'd guard Donnie no matter what. He's a protector.

They all turn to me. I'm the only one who hasn't given my result. "I told you, I'm not telling."

"C'mon Leo. We all told." Mikey pleads, giving me his kicked puppy eyes. I turn away and shut my eyes. I shake my head.

"No, Mikey. I can't." I say helplessly.

"Can't or won't?" Raph asks, narrowing his eyes.

"Both." I whisper. Raph's eyes widen in shock at my answer. Some of my helplessness, my indecision, and my sadness had crept into my voice for him to hear.

"Thank you for telling, but I'm not. It doesn't matter anyway. Only our choice, and you'll find that out tomorrow." I can't look at them and instead let my black hair cover my eyes.

All is silent, then Donnie comes to my rescue. "All right, Leo. We'll leave you alone about it."

I look up. "Thanks." I smile with relief. "Why don't we play a board game? Like when we were little?" I change the subject.

"Okay!" Mikey cheers.

"Sure." Donnie smiles.

"All right." Raph agrees.

* * *

An hour later, Father calls us down for dinner. He talks about his day at the courts. Small matters today. There's rarely anything huge. Crime's almost nonexistent here. My brothers and I are silent. We have nothing to say tonight. I wish someone would say something, though. This is our last night as a whole family. We need to act like it! But I can't even bring myself to say anything, afraid I'll slip and reveal my test results. So the dinner passes without a word.

Soon, dinner is over. Donnie and Raph get started on washing the dishes (it's their turn tonight), Mikey disappears upstairs, and Father goes into his study. A few minutes later, I follow him.

The study door is closed, as always. I take a deep breath, then raise my hand to knock. Before I can, a voice comes from inside.

"Come in, Leonardo." Shaking my head (I shouldn't be shocked by this; it's always happened), I open the door and step inside.

Father is sitting at his desk. He holds a paper in his hand, but upon my entry, he sets it down. "What troubles you, my son?" I feel a pang of guilt. Although I don't know what faction I will pick, I know it will not be Candor. I will not be his son for much longer.

"Could - could you please tell me about - about Mom?" I ask softly.

Father's face softens at the sound of his wife. "Leonardo, I have already told you several times."

"I want to hear it again, before - before tomorrow. Please." I plead.

He nods with understanding. "Of course. As soon as your brothers stop eavesdropping and come in."

I turn around. The door stays shut for a few seconds, then creeks open to reveal three guilty faces. I cross my arms over my chest. So. This was their play.

Donnie, Raph, and Mikey file in, and stare at their feet. "Sorry, Father." They chorus.

Father sighs. "You may as well stay, if you wish." My brothers nod furiously. We never pass up a chance to hear about our mother.

"Your mother, Sarah Talbot, and I both grew up in Dauntless." Father starts. "We were best friends, practically joined at the hip throughout our childhood. We did everything together, along with our good friend Simon Owens. We were inseparable. Soon we were teenagers, and soon my feelings for your mother grew beyond simple friendship, and so did our relationship. We began dating and fell in love at the tender age of fifteen. Unfortunately, I was not alone in my feelings for Sarah. Simon Owens was also in love with Sarah, and when it became clear she did not return them, Simon Owens fell into anger. This anger turned into hatred, and soon attempts on my life were made. These attempts were clever, made to look like accidents. Scared, Sarah and I came up with a plan. When our Choosing Ceremony came, we both transferred to Candor where we could live in safety. Simon Owens transferred to Abnegation, of all places. He is on the Council even now. Sarah and I married at twenty, and when we were twenty-five, Sarah became pregnant with you four. Sarah, my beautiful Sarah, died in childbirth." Father pauses for a moment, longing and sadness etched in every line on his face. "But although I lost my love, I gained you four, and have enjoyed my sixteen years with you."

Man, what a way to make us feel guilty. I don't know about the others, but guilt fills my heart for what I know I will be doing; transferring.

"And now it is late. Tomorrow is a big day. You must rest. Goto bed, my sons."

"Yes, Father." We chant, and are about to leave when he stops us.

"My sons. I am under no illusion that you will chose to stay in Candor. Your paths all lie elsewhere. Just remember, no matter where you go, you are my sons, and I will always love you."

Tears bubble in my eyes, and I can not answer pass the huge lump in my throat. I close my eyes and nod, fighting the sadness rising from my chest. I nod like a bobble head, then leave the room. I climb the stairs and bolt to my room without opening my eyes. My feet have memorized the path after years of walking it. I jump onto my bed and slam the door. I bury my head in my pillow and let those tears spill out. Tomorrow I will leave my father forever. I will forsaken my family, and whether or not I will ever see any of my brothers again after tomorrow all depends on my choice. The choice I have yet to make.

Abnegation? Or Dauntless? The question spins through my head over and over again, and I cry silently into my pillow, not knowing the answer.

**Hello again! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I will do my best to update quickly, but until then, please review and let me know that this story hasn't been swallowed and lost in the crossovers.**

**Sarah Talbot = Tang When**

**Simon Owens = Oruku Saki! Yes, he's in this. Sort of.**

**Have a good one!**

**-Katana **


	4. Chapter 4

**Salutations! Thank you for reading this next chapter of The Troubles Of Being Divergent (seriously, if anyone can think of a better title, please tell me). I hope you enjoy this update. Thank you to the people who have reviewed and assured me that this was getting lost in the crossovers. Enjoy!**

Chapter 4

I wake up bleary eyed the next morning, woken by the annoying shrill beep of my alarm clock. I groan and burrow my head deeper into my pillow, trying to block out the racket and get a few more minutes (or hours) of sleep. It didn't work the first time I tried it, and it doesn't work now. Groaning defeat, I reach my hand up and slap the air around my bed until I hit the clock, shutting it up.

I force myself up into a sitting position and stretch my arms and legs as far as I can. I rub my eyes and force them open. I have to blink a few times before my room comes into focus. For a few minutes, I sit and gaze around the small piece of the house I can call my own, my brain slowly waking up.

As it does, I regain my bearings, and the memories of last night come rushing up, front and center. I place a hand to my temple. That means . . . _today _is Choosing Day. Today I declare what my choice of faction is. A choice I still haven't made yet. Today I leave my family.

I slip out of my bed and my sock clad feet pad against the carpeted floor to the opposite side of the room. I throw open my closet doors and a blur of black and white jumps out at me. In the back of my mind, I sigh and wish for something else. After 16 years of black and white, I've grown to want some color to wear. I've always liked the shade of the sky, and sometimes I long to wear a bit of blue. But Candor only wear black and white. No color for me.

I sort through my options, and fish out a pair of black dress pants, a white dress shirt, and a black vest. My favorite dressy outfit. I grab fresh underwear as well and fold everything into a meat stack. I quietly open my door and walk swiftly to the bathroom. Waking up early has its perks. No wait to use the bathroom, and I'm the first one to use the hot water.

I strip off the clothes I wore yesterday and start the shower. Ducking under the warm spray, I unconsciously sigh and feel some of the tension in my muscles leave. Hot water always feels good, and often helps me calm my mind. A blissful unawareness falls over me, and I forget the huge choice looming over me, concentrating on the here and now of washing up.

I shut off the water after a decent amount of time. I dry myself off and slip on my fresh clothes. I wipe away condensation on the mirror and stare at my reflection. I wet my hands under the faucet and nervously try to slick my hair into some resemblance of order, but to no avail. My hair refuses to cooperate today and sticks up in random places, evidence of a fitful sleep. I run my hands through my hair one last time before giving up on the lost cause.

I open the door and step out into (relatively) cold air. Steam floods the hallway as I pound down the stairs to the kitchen. As per usual, a kettle of tea boils on the stove, and I smile. Even on a day like today, or maybe especially on a day like today, Father made tea, and I have a hunch it's my favorite. A quick lift of the lid and a sniff confirms it, and I eagerly grab a mug and pour a sizable amount of tea. I take a careful sip and smile as the familiar flavor washes over my tongue. Father introducing us all to tea years ago, but I'm the only one who ever really liked it. Ever since, every morning a kettle would be ready on the stove for Father and me to share.

I've started on my second cup when I hear the thuds of someone on the stairs.

"Morning, Donnie." I greet without looking up. I get no response besides a huff and the sounds of the coffee machine being started up. Don is not what you would call a morning person. Just the opposite, actually. Mess with him before he's had his coffee, prepare to get both barrels.

Hot brown liquid flows from the machine into Don's mug, then stops with a quick sputter. Donnie grabs it eagerly with both hands and takes a long sip. Immediately he perks up, a small smile taking the place of a scowl. I shake my head, smiling at his transformation. It amuses me every time. An ache in my heart grows as I add to the list of things I'm going to miss.

"Good morning Leo." He says in response to my earlier greeting. _What's good about it?_ I think in my head. But I say nothing and smile instead. Don already knows. I already know. Neither of us need a reminder.

Don wears casual dress clothes today. Black dress pants with a white dress shirt trimmed in black, which neither match nor clash his light brown hair and reddish brown eyes.

We sip our drinks in silence, not heavy like last night's, but comfortable. I feel like we're not just drinking our caffeine, we're drinking in each other's company, and I drink it like I'm dying of thirst.

A few minutes pass, and heavy footsteps on the stairs echo down the stairs. Raph emerges from the stairwell and immediately moves to the fridge. Raph is clad in black dress pants, a black leather jacket, and a white T-shirt, which all clashes with his red hair and emerald green eyes. Not as dressy as Don and I, but acceptable. Raph throws open the fridge door and pulls out the milk carton. He grabs a glass from the cupboard above the fridge and pours himself a tall glass before shutting the fridge and taking his seat beside me.

No sooner than he does that, light footsteps fall down the stairs in rapid succession, and Mikey hops to the floor, skipping the last two steps. He's wearing simply black dress pants and a white collared shirt with his sleeves rolled rushes to his seat across the table from Raph and next to Don and gives the table a radiant smile. Anyone else besides us would think he was going to have the best day of his life. It was a nice smile, but I detected a hint of strain that gave his smile a slightly forced look. Yet I smiled back, albeit a smaller, shy smile.

Now only one seat is vacant. The one at the head of the table, belonging to Father. If he has stayed true to his routine, he is working in his study to get some paperwork out of the way before breakfast and the real work at the courts.

Silence cloaks us as Donnie, Raph, and I sip our respective drinks and Mikey sits watching us. Any other day, we'd be chattering away, or if we were quiet, Raph would be scowling at Mikey to stop staring at us. But over his glass of milk, Raph's emerald green eyes dart to each of our faces, and so do Don's reddish-brown, and my sapphire blue, memorizing our brother's features. Who knows when we will next see each other after this day? Even the odds of one-on-one time will be rare in the future, the odds of us all together are astronomical.

_Except for you._ A voice in my head whispers. I hold back a frown. It's true. I haven't decided between Abnegation or Dauntless. If I pick Abnegation, it's possible I could see my brothers through volunteer work, or maybe even through a government position. If I pick Dauntless, I'll be with Raph and see him everyday if I want to. That alone is a huge point to Dauntless.

But Dauntless? When I try to picture myself there, dressed in black garb jumping off a train, it just doesn't feel right. But, the same goes for Abnegation. The image of me in all grey, performing undesirable tasks, being a meek public servant, just feels absolutely wrong. As I drain my cup, I picture myself in Erudite, and in Candor and Amity. None of them feel right. My Divergence, I assume. I don't completely fit anywhere. I banish the thoughts of the other three factions, and go back to Dauntless and Abnegation. I have to decide. Dauntless black with Raph, standing for bravery and protection, or Abnegation gray alone, standing for selflessness and helping everyone, even if it means sacrificing me for a jerk I could care less about (something I've seen in public areas several times)?

I sigh. The choice, when put like that, seems obvious. Dauntless. But can I really fit in with a bunch of daredevils and adrenaline junkies? And if being me, being Divergent, is truly dangerous, would joining the same faction as my brother put him at risk?

Bravery or selflessness? Cowardice or selfishness? Protect my brothers by leaving them all, or let myself have a reminder of home? As I think that, I realize that the choice of faction may prove where I belong. To choose to forget my wants to protect my brother would be selfless, while to choose to stay with Raph, regardless of any danger, would be selfish. _AND_, I allow myself a wry smile, refusing to let fear stand in between my brother and me would be brave, while letting fear conquer me would be cowardly.

"What'cha thinkin' about?" Mikey asks me. I jump slightly, and realize that I've been staring about my empty tea cup for who knows how long. I look up and see all my brothers staring at me.

"Nothing important." I lie.

Raph cocks his head in a "BS" kind of way.

"Seriously. It's nothing. Just a stupid thought." I force myself to blush by thinking real stupid thoughts, and they seem to believe this time around.

Either way, I'm saved from more interrogation by the arrival of Father.

"Good morning, my sons." He says.

"Morning, Father." We chant, the response engraved in our memories.

Father moves to the cabinets and fridge and pulls out various ingredients. Flour, eggs, milk, sugar . . .

"Can I help?" Mikey asks.

"I can handle it, Michelangelo. Continue talking with your brothers."

"Please, Father? I want to help." Mikey makes his puppy dog eyes, and Father sighs, smiles, and nods. Mikey beams and leaps up out his chair, dashing to the cupboard and pulling out skillets. I smile. They're making pancakes.

* * *

The morning passes in a flurry of pancakes, syrup (a rare treat), shared memories and jokes, bittersweet laughter, and smiles. I find myself having one of the best mornings of my life, and while I try to fully immerse myself in the moment, my head continues to remind me that it won't last. That this may very well be the last morning I have with my brothers.

Stupid voice in my head.

Eventually, all the food is gone. Most of my share was eaten by Mikey. I'm not hungry, and that kid has a bottomless pit for a stomach. The final hour grows closer.

"My sons, I have something for you. If you would step in my study?" Father says it like it's a question, or it's a choice. It's not. We're only a few steps behind him as he walks into his office. We stand in a row in front of his desk, like we've always done, while he bends over and rummages through the bottom desk drawer, looking for something. After a good few minutes of digging, Father stands back up, holding a long, flat, white box in his hands.

"The Splinter family has a tradition. No one remembers how it got started, but every generation has participated in it. When a child is born, the blanket they arrive home in is saved, and sewn into masks."

"Masks?" Donnie asks. "Why? Why masks?"

Father shrugs. "As I just said, no one knows. But the art has been done for countless generations, and you four are no exception. I give them to you today, so you will remember your roots, and remember that no matter where you go, you will always be a Splinter."

Father opens the box, and inside lay four masks. They are simple strips of silk, with empty eyeholes cut into the fabric. There is a red mask, a blue mask, an orange mask, and a purple mask.

Father picks up the orange mask and holds it out to Mikey. "This one belongs to you, Michelangelo." Mikey steps forward and ties the mask on, bowing his head. When he lifts it, sky blue eyes shine out of the holes, and the mask seems to fit him like a second skin. The orange suits him. It's a bright and bubbly color, full of energy and fun, just like my Mikey.

Father now holds the purple mask, and directs his gaze to Donnie. "The purple is yours, Donatello." Donnie steps forward to claim his mask while Mikey falls back into line. He handles his mask with care, and ties it on slowly and delicately. Finally, he looks back up, and once again, the mask fits just right on my brother. Purple is Donnie's color. It symbolizes wisdom and dignity, qualities my brother has plenty of.

Donnie falls back while Father picks up the red mask. "Raphael, this is your mask." Raph steps up quickly and eagerly ties his mask on. He looks up and grins devilishly. The red mask brings out his green eyes, and they almost seem to glow. The furious red is Raph, no doubt about it in any way. Red is the color of fire, anger, and passion, things my brother practically defines.

That just leaves one mask. I step forward as Father holds up the last one, the royal blue. "Leonardo, this mask belongs to you." I gingerly pick it up, and tie it with care. The fabric is tight, yet soft against my skin. It settles in all the right places, coming three-quarters of the way down my nose. The tassels tickle my shoulder, and I can't help but smile. This is a nutty tradition, but I love it. The mask makes me feel safe, hidden and protected from the world. I've always loved blue, as well. It's a calm color that symbolizes leadership, tranquility, and wisdom. I love my mask.

"Thank you, Father." We chant, smiles on all of our faces.

"You may wear them until the Ceremony, but you must take them off when we get there." All at once, that tiny little break from reality ends and reality slams back into place. Smiles are instantly gone, and worried, anxious eyes and small frowns take their place.

"When do we l-leave?" Don asks hesitantly, not really wanting an answer.

"In a half-hour, Donatello." Father says kindly. And there it is. The deadline we have until this idea that's been a dream for so long becomes truly real. A half-hour left in this house. A half-hour of this life left. A half-hour left with my brothers. A half-hour to say our goodbyes.

We stand there frozen for who knows how many precious seconds, the only sound the ticking clock above the doorway. Then Mikey breaks rank and tackles me into a hug. I take a step back in surprise, but quickly regain my balance and grip my baby brother tight. His head is tucked under my chin, his face against my chest, and I bury my face in his blond curls, my arms holding him close. I feel two more pairs of arms wrap around me and Mikey, and our hug is now a four-way hug. I loosen one of my arms and wrap it around someone else, I can't tell who. Three grips on me tighten, and they smother me. I don't mind. Group hugs are far and few, and this is likely to be the last one I ever have.

After countless minutes in each other's company, we break it up. Mikey immediately turns to Raph and latches onto him. I turn to Don, smile, and quickly envelope him in a hug as well. The strength of Donnie's grip surprises me, and it's hard for me to breath. Though that may not be simply Donnie's hug.

We break it up and Mikey and I swap partners. I set my chin on Raph's shoulder as I shut my eyes and hold him close. My brother . . . My best friend . . . How can I leave him? I still can't breathe, and now I know that it's not because of the hugging, but a tightness in my throat. No. I will not cry again. Not now.

Finally, I'm hugging Mikey again, and Donnie and Raph hug each other. We don't speak. We're quadruplets, brothers. No words need to spoken. We all know what we're thinking. _I love you._

We finish our goodbyes, and stand in front of Father's desk in our row. I look over my shoulder, and notice nearly all our allotted time is up. Father notices this too, and nods.

"It's time."

**Not sure why I wanted give them masks, but I did, it's my story, so there! **

**Okay, in regards to the rest of the story, I have not seen the movie. So my descriptions will be off the books. Sorry if the two don't match up, but I will do my best.**

**Okay, off topic, but would anyone out there be willing to read a crossover plot bunny of mine? TMNT and . . . Tinkerbell. Yeah. I'm going there.**

**Anyway, leave comments, reviews, ideas below, and happy wandering!**

**-Katana**


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